Convertible shoes



I Dec. 28, 1965 M. J. LAMBERT] 3,225,462

CONVERTIBLE SHOES Filed Jan. 13, 1965 INVENTOR. MARTIN J. LAMBERTI ATTORNEY United States Patent C) 3,225,462 CONVERTIBLE SHOES Martin J. Lamherti, 116-02 232nd St., Cambria Heights, N.Y.

Filed Jan. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 425,200 4 Claims. (Cl. 36--2.5)

This invention relates to shoes, and aims to provide a new and improved convertible shoe whereby various types or styles of heel portions may be interchangeably attached to a single front or toe portion.

It is of particular interest to women, as they require different styles of shoes for different occasions; for example, they may wish to wear so-called flat heels around the home, and French or spike heels elsewhere.

The present invention contemplates a single toe portion together with heel portions of different styles, each of which is separate from and attachable to or detachable from the toe portion, whence with a single toe portion the user is provided with a plurality of different styles of shoes for various occasions.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description wherein reference numerals refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended primarily for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the specific details shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing, FIG. 1 is a perspective view, as seen from the side, of a convertible shoe embodying features of the invention. I

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the shoe of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of another style of shoe which may be provided by the invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line '7-7 of FIG. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the forward or toe portion of a shoe and the numeral 11 the rearward or heel portion thereof. The toe portion 10 has a bottom sole 12 and the usual toe upper 13. A flat substantially rectangular (in crosssection) sleeve 14 is cemented or otherwise attached to the top surface of the sole 12 at the rear end of the sole, thus providing a rectangular pocket.

The heel portion 11 has a bottom sole 15 and the usual heel portion upper 16. A metal plate 17, shaped to follow the contour of the sole 15, is cemented or otherwise secured to the latter, on the top surface thereof. The plate 17 includes a flat forwardly extending portion 17a which is adapted to register within the pocket of the sleeve 14 upon fitting the portions 10 and 11 together as shown in FIG. 1. The sleeve 14 may be of metal or other suitable material. The upper 13 of the toe portion 10 has rearwardly extending ears 18 provided with male snap button parts, and the forward portion of the upper 16 has complementary female snap button parts. Thus, upon engaging the snap buttons the two portions 10 and 11 form a complete shoe.

Shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2 at 19 is the heel portion of a flat-heeled shoe which, when provided with a plate equivalent to the plate 17, may readily be secured to the toe portion 10 to provide a flat-heeled shoe. In like manner, other styles of heel portions may also be substituted to provide still other styles of shoes.

3,225,462 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 It is to be understood that the metal plate 17 is sutficiently flexible to permit of a degree of bending to accommodate to the bending of the foot in walking. Both portions of the convertible shoe are further provided with inner soles which cover the sleeve 14, in the case of the toe portion 10, and the plate 17 in the case of the heel portion 11. These inner soles are shown respectively at 20 and 21. To support the inner sole 20 around its edges except where it is supported upon the sleeve 14, a peripheral spacer strip of leather or the like 22 is provided around the top edge of the bottom sole 12. The lower edges 13a of the upper 13 are bent, tucked or turned in under the inner sole 20 and clamped between the same and the strip 22, being further secured thereto by cementing, stitching or the like, not shown.

A similar peripheral strip 23 is provided on the top surface of the sole portion 15 of the heel portion 11, between which and the inner sole 21 the turned in lower edge 16a of the heel upper 16 is similarly secured. Thus the inner soles 20 and 21 cushion the foot of the wearer.

The plate 17 is shown provided with perforations 24, and these are particularly desirable in the portion of the extension 17a immediately adjacent the edge 25 of the bottom sole of the heel portion, which, when the shoe is not being worn, is in contact with the end edge 26 of the bottom sole 12 of the toe portion. As shown, these edges are in the form of fiat, normally parallel surfaces. In walking, the bending of the foot about the axis of the snap buttons tends to separate these edges a small amount, permitting air to enter, and with the provision of the perforations in the immediately forward portion of the extension 17a such air gains access to the foot. FIG. 5 shows in phantom a full length very thin removable inner sole 26a which may be removably mounted in the shoe over the combined inner soles 20 and 21, in the same manner as such auxiliary removable inner soles are often used to soften the walk. Preferably such auxiliary inner sole is also perforated, not shown, as such perforated inner soles are commonly available on the market.

Thus, by providing a toe portion common to all types or styles of shoes and heel portions of different styles all of which are selectively attachable to the toe portion, the user has the advantages and use of a plurality of shoes of different types or styles at a substantially reduced cost.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, such is not to be construed as a limitation upon the invention which is best defined in the accompanying claims.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A convertible shoe consisting of a toe portion and a heel portion, the heel portion of the shoe having a first bottom sole and a heel upper, a plate conforming to the shape of said first bottom sole secured to the top surface thereof and having a flat substantially horizontal forward extension beyond said first sole, a first spacer strip secured to said top surface except for the forward edge of said sole, a first inner sole, the turned in lower edge of said upper being secured between said inner sole and said strip and to said inner sole and said strip, the toe portion having a second bottom sole and a toe upper, a flat substantially rectangular sleeve rectangular in cross-section secured to the top surface of said second bottom sole with an opening thereinto adjacent the rearward edge of said second bottom sole, 2. second inner sole, a second spacer strip secured to said top surface of said second bottom sole around said sleeve except for said rearward edge of the sole, said spacer strips being positioned adjacent the peripheral edges of their respective uppers, the turned in lower edge of said toe upper being secured between and to said second strip and said second inner sole,

said forward extension of said plate being slidably releasably mounted in said sleeve, said toe upper having ears on the upper rearward ends thereof, and releasable locking means partly on said ears and partly on said heel upper for interlocking said toe and heel portions.

2. A convertible shoe according to claim 1, said interlocking means comprising axially aligned two-part snap buttons one part of which is on said ears and the other part of which is on said heel upper.

3. A convertible shoe according to claim 2, said rearward edge of said second bottom sole and said forward edge of said first bottom sole comprising fiat parallel surfaces normally in mutual contact and mutually separable a distance proportional to the bending of the foot in walking.

4. A convertible shoe according to claim 3, at least a portion of said forward extension of said plate adjacent said forward edge of said heel portion having perforations therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,112,052 3/1938 Smith 36-25 2,734,284 2/1956 Seurbom 362.5 2,952,925 9/1960 Held 36--2.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,026,809 2/1953 France.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primaly Examiner. 

1. A CONVERTIBLE SHOE CONSISTING OF A TOE PORTION AND A HEEL PORTION, THE HEEL PORTION OF THE SHOE HAVING A FIRST BOTTOM SOLE AND A HEEL UPPER, A PLATE CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE OF SAID FIRST BOTTOM SOLE SECURED TO THE TOP SURFACE THEREOF AND HAVING A FLAT SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL FORWARD EXTENSION BEYOND SAID FIRST SOLE, A FIRST SPACER STRIP SECURED TO SAID TOP SURFACE EXCEPT FOR THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID SOLE, A FIRST INNER SOLE, THE TURNED IN LOWER EDGE OF SAID UPPER BEING SECURED BETWEEN SAID INNER SOLE AND SAID STRIP AND TO SAID INNER SOLE AND SAID STRIP, THE TOE PORTION HAVING A SECOND BOTTOM SOLE AND A TOE UPPER, A FLAT SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR SLEEVE RECTANGULAR IN CROSS-SECTION SECURED TO THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID SECOND BOTTOM SOLE WITH AN OPENING THEREINTO ADJACENT THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID SECOND BOTTOM SOLE, A SECOND INNER SOLE, A SECOND SPACER STRIP SECURED TO SAID TOP SURFACE OF SAID SECOND BOTTOM SOLE AROUND SAID SLEEVE EXCEPT FOR SAID REARWARD EDGE OF THE SOLE, SAID SPACER STRIPS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE UPPERS, THE TURNED IN LOWER EDGE OF SAID TOE UPPER BEING SECURED BETWEEN AND TO SAID SECOND STRIP AND SAID SECOND INNER SOLE, SAID FORWARD EXTENSION OF SAID PLATE BEING SLIDABLY RELEASABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SLEEVE, SAID TOE UPPER HAVING EARS ON THE UPPER REARWARD ENDS THEREOF, AND RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS PARTLY ON SAID EARS AND PARTLY ON SAID HEEL UPPER FOR INTERLOCKING SAID TOE AND HEEL PORTIONS. 